Crying's for Girls
by Mazzie May
Summary: Set very shortly after the failed Sasuke Retrieval Arc. Sakura gets a very odd miniture peptalk from two people she's not exactly close with.


**Author's Note: I... yeah**

**Sumamry: Sakura gets a very odd miniture pep-talk from two people whom she really hadn't expected to speak to her at all.**

**Rating: K**

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Crying's For Girls_  
By: Mazzie May_

Sakura was sore. Everywhere. Really, though, it was to be expected. Over the last few days she'd done nothing but cry, suffered from hysterics, worked herself into a fourth, and worried herself sick. On top of that, she suffered a minor concussion from Sasuke knocking her out.

She winced, touching the sore area at the base of her neck. The softer the _thump_, the deeper the force of the hit went. She was the one who received the blow and didn't hear a thing. _I get that he wanted to stop…_ she sniffed. _But he didn't have to do it so hard._

"Sakura… c'mon." Tenten was crouching down in front of her, Neji standing off to the left. So far, nearly all of the Rookie Nine had come by. Almost as though to pay their respects. _To the girl who got left behind_, Kiba had told her. Tenten hadn't stopped by yet, and Sakura had been fairly surprised when she brought Neji with her. It became pretty apparent by his body language, however, that he just came by to get his visit out of the way, and if he came with someone else he wouldn't have to speak.

"You heard Naruto," Tenten tried again. "You'll get 'em back. _Together_. Do not even sweat it." She bit her lip, a vain effort to keep her tears at bay. Neji shifted his gaze, and Tenten sighed. "I know you've got a lot of water in you, but…"

Many of the older individuals, or those who dabble with deviation, the stars, Tarot and the like claim she has so much water in her soul. They usually follow up that comment with, "_How strange it is, when one is so full of water and yet the same one's namesake ties them to spring."_ Haruno Sakura was known for her tears. Poor thing practically had an aquifer inside her if that was the case. Of course, it can also be argued that cherry blossoms require an amazing amount of water to grow. Just imagine the intake of a whole field of them! Which is her exact name; Haruno Sakura, _the field of the cherry blossoms._

Neji uncrossed his arm. "That is just a very poetic way to say, she cries a lot, all the time or constantly."

Sakura dropped her head into her arms, and let out a sob. She wasn't embarrassed about crying in front of people. Never was, really. Tenten slammed her fist into his shin. He merely looked down at her. She looked back at Sakura.

"Hey, now…" Sakura sniffled. Tenten sighed, and took a harsher tone. "Sakura, quit it. Crying's for girls."

Sakura took a small breath, looking up, confused. Neji's eyebrow twitched in question. Tenten ignored the looks. "It's going to take some great ninja to get Sasuke back, right?" Sakura only tilted her head, still lost. "How many great ninja do you know act like girls?"

Sakura blinked, making a bit of a face. "There are plenty of female ninjas," she said, her voice cracked due to her raw throat.

Tenten waved her hand in dismissal. "There are ninja who act like women, ninja who act like ladies and then whatever Anko-sensei acts like…" None of them could fight their small smiles at that comment. "But how many of 'em were _girls_?" Sakura smiled a little, her dry lips cracking with the effort.

"If you want to retrieve your teammate," Neji began, the two turning to him in mild surprise. "You cannot sit here and cry." He shifted. "You can't… be a girl." The final words held just the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Tenten turned to him, looking disgusted. "Oh, ewww, Neji." Sakura blinked, and Neji raised a brow at her. "Your humanity is showing…"

Sakura chocked out a small laugh, and Neji's lip twitched. "Yes…" he said offhandedly, quietly. "That happens sometimes."

She made a small 'yech' noise. "Don't touch me," Tenten ordered, moving around to the other side of Sakura. "I don't want it on me. I just took a shower."

Sakura looked down at her hands, white and dry from her tears' salt. These hands could be holding a kunai or making hand seals, training a woman's hands. Or they could be holding a fan, training a lady's hands. Or they could even be empty, but still being put to use. Good use. Instead, they sat limply on her knees, training as tissues.

"Yeah," she muttered quietly, Neji flicking his eyes back to her and Tenten bringing her tongue back in, destroying her 'Yuck-san' face. She pushed herself up, wincing a little. It'd been a while since she stood tall. "Crying's for girls."

"Say it with a smile," Tenten said from her position low to the ground. "Because smiling's for everybody." She jerked her thumb at Neji. "Except him. I think his face would break."

He glared down at her slightly and she grinned back, with a "tell me I'm wrong" expression. And for the first time in nearly a week, Sakura smiled something close to a real smile. It wasn't as happy as usual, or as full of life. But you could see her teeth, and that's a start.

_Crying's for girls_

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Author's Note: And whee. I'm a little worried about the Tenten-Neji interation there. I'm not a hundred percent sure on their relationship. Not even thirty percent. I just had the conversation in my head, and those two seemed right for it. Hope it was enjoyed. And as always, all commentary appreciated.**

**R&R Please**


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